Midterm Elections: Brad Schneider Nets $185K Edge Over Bob Dold

Illinois congressman Brad Schneider's war chest grew by $795,000 in the second quarter, bringing the 10th-district Democrat's total campaign stash to $1.9 million.

The incumbent's Republican challenger Bob Dold -- fighting to reclaim his former north-suburban seat -- collected more than $610,000 in the quarter ending June 30 to raise his funds to $1.65 million, reports the Chicago Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet.

According to Schneider's campaign manager, Jamie Patton, around 60 percent of the six-figure sum came from first-time donors with some 86 percent of contributors offering less than $100. "More than 10,000 donors have contributed to Rep. Schneider’s re-election campaign," declared Patton.

The Schneider-Dold showdown is shaping up to be the priciest of 2014's Illinois' congressional match-ups as political action committees and other groups prepare to funnel extra cash into the candidates' campaigns. The close contest has been a major focus for national Republicans and Democrats eyeing Chicago's North Shore suburbs as key political territory.

It's also among the most contentious Illinois races: Last week, Patton accused Team Dold of relying on data from a GOP pollster to make it appear as if Dold had the lead over Schneider.

The survey by the GOP-supporting super PAC American Action Network had Dold leading Schneider 42-39 percent with 19 percent undecided on whom to back at the ballot box on Nov. 4. Poll-takers also favored Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner over Democrat incumbent Gov. Pat Quinn by 12 percentage points, 49-37.

Kenilworth businessman Dold respresented the district for one term, serving from 2011-2013 until he was defeated by Deerfield resident Schneider by a difference of 3,326 votes.

Update: The Dold Team reached out with the below comment.

"After misleading voters to get elected to Congress, then gutting everything from Medicare and veteran's benefits to women's healthcare choices once he got there, the only thing surprising about Congressman Schneider's toxic 28 percent approval rating is that he's blaming pollsters for it rather than himself."